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Irish Wolfhound
Profile
The Irish Wolfhound is one of the largest and is the tallest of dogs in the
world. By the age of six months they can weigh as much as ninety pounds and
do not reach maturity until twenty to twenty-four months. They have a deep chest,
straggly looking fur, and similar in shape to the greyhound. They have a long
tail, almost reaching the ground. The Irish Wolfhound has large feet, and a
double coat that may be gray, brindle, red, black, white or fawn. Despite their
great size, they are very gentle in nature. They are excellent with children,
and acknowledge that they are protectors of the family. Known as the gentle
giant, they are a perfect gentleman who shows no signs of aggression to their
family. Irish Wolfhounds are willing to please their owners and make a good
family dog for those who have adequate space and a lifestyle to feed them, as
they are rather expensive to look after. Irish Wolfhounds are calm, loving
and affectionate. They are very loyal and courageous when called upon to be.
Many an Irish tale tells of this breed defending their master and chasing away
fiends. The Irish Wolfhound is the perfect dog for the person with enough space
in their house and in their heart.
Other Names: Irish Hound, Irish Wolfdog,
Cu (ancient Celtic), Cu Faoil (Ireland)
Type: Sighthound and Pariah
Height: Females: 28 – 32 inches; Males:
32 - 35 inches.
Weight: 90 - 120 lbs. Females are desired
to be 105 lbs., while males are desired to be 120 lbs.
Colors: Gray, steel gray, brindle, red,
black, pure white, fawn or wheaten color.
Coat: Rough and harsh. They have a dense
undercoat and a medium length rough outer coat that can be especially wiry under
the chin and around the eyes.
Temperament: Irish Wolfhounds are gentle,
friendly, loving and intelligent. They are very good with children and other
pets, but only do moderately well in guarding or watching. Their size may scare
off unwelcome guests, however. Irish Wolfhounds are dignified, calm, and fun
loving. They can be active dogs, but are usually calm inside the house. They
are a breed of courage, loyalty and have the potential to earn plenty of obedience
titles.
With Children: Yes, they are wonderful around
children.
With Pets: Yes, Irish Wolfhounds do good
with other pets.
Special Skills: Hunting dog and family pet.
Watch-dog: Medium - Low, but their great
size can scare intruders.
Guard-dog: Medium to Low. Irish Wolfhounds
may greet an intruder with love and affection.
Irish Wolfhound
Care and Training: Irish Wolfhounds require
regular grooming of their hard, wiry coat or it will become matted. Comb their
fur daily. Trim around the eye and ears with blunt scissors. The Irish Wolfhound
does not require as much exercise as one would think for their great size, but
they do need daily walks or runs or they will be inclined to be lazy. Rearing
of young Irish Wolfhound puppies is critical because of their rapid growth rate.
Do not take them on long walks as they can damage their joints.
Learning Rate: High – Medium. Obedience
- High. Problem Solving - High.
Activity: Medium.
Special Needs: Exercise, fenced yard, grooming
and training.
Living Environment: It is recommended that
you have a large house and big, fenced backyard. Irish Wolfhounds are not good
for city life, as they are very large and take up a lot of space and food. The
best owner for this breed would be a family or individual living in a suburban
or rural environment.
Irish Wolfhound Health Issues: Heart
problems (heart disease), hip and elbow dysplasia, and cancers such as lymphoma.
Other health concerns for the Irish Wolfhound include bone and kidney disease,
eye problems, hypothyroidism, seizures, von Willebrand's disease, and bloat.
Bloat is a common health issue to most dogs, being the most populous killer
of dogs second to cancer. But Irish Wolfhounds are particularly susceptible
to it because of their deep chests.
Life Span:8 - 10 years.
Litter Size: 3 - 4 puppies.
Country of Origin: Ireland
Irish Wolfhound History: Recorded in history
is a letter from a Roman consul Symmachus written to his brother, Flavianus,
thanking him for sending seven Irish Wolfhounds, and exclaiming that "All Rome
viewed them with wonder." This occurred in 393 AD in Rome, and his brother,
Flavianus was from Britain, suggesting that the hounds were already in Britain
at the time. Back then, the breed is thought to have come in a variety of smooth/rough
coats of different colors. It is said that the Celts took their hounds to Ireland
around 1500 B.C. Known then as the "Cu", their name used to imply bravery and
many warriors would prefix their own names with the word. Other names they have
been called by are the Irish Hound and Irish Wolfdog. Currently in Ireland they
are called the Cu Faoil. They were used in battle to pull men off of horseback
and at times to hunt wolves. Irish history has many references to the Wolfhound.
The breed was highly esteemed with myths and legends surrounding it. From 200
B.C. to 200 A.D. stories were written of the hound, involving Wolfhounds that
could run around an entire city in one day, dogs that possessed supernatural
intelligence, and others of this breed that would protect the lives of its owner
at all costs. One such Irish tale (that is thought to be true to this day) is
about a man named Llewelyn, prince of North Wales, who owned an Irish Wolfhound
and went hunting with him. One day the Wolfhound was no where to be found, and
Llewelyn went alone. When Llewelyn got back, he found his hound and the floor
covered in blood. His Wolfhound joyously sprang to meet him. Frantically, Llewelyn
searched out his toddler son to make sure he was okay, only to find his bed
clothes bloody and his son missing. In agony, Llewelyn plunged his sword into
his hound, who made an eerie howl. Immediately after hearing its cry, Llewelyn's
young son stepped out, and revealed a dead wolf which lie on the floor beside
him, which his hound had slain. Llewelyn, prince of North Wales, was said to
have never smiled again. By the 15th and 16th centuries, the breed was used
mainly for hunting. They were used to hunt Irish elk (now extinct), wolves,
stag, and boar, as well as to guard. Because of their excellent hunting abilities,
the breed was often exported to other European countries, including Spain, in
which they also made entries into foreign literature. In the mid 1600s, wolves
were a major problem in the Irish country. In 1652 Oliver Cromwell banned the
exportation of all Irish Wolfhounds, due to the problem of wolves being such
a threat. By the 1800s, all of the wolves in the area were extinct, and the
Irish Wolfhound's use diminished. The breed's numbers decreased rapidly, and
the Great Irish Famine did not help in securing their future survival. The Irish
Wolfhound breed was almost lost in 1845 when the Great Irish Famine and lack
of use nearly destroyed them. The breed became a legend, and most people in
the early 1800s had never even seen an Irish Wolfhound. In the 1840s, a writer
by the name of R.D. Richardson wrote articles about the breed and became interested.
He purchased a Wolfhound named "Bran", who was of the old stock (legends surround
an earlier Wolfhound named Bran, claiming that she had incredible speed and
bravery) and bred him with a few other breeds of deerhound and wolfhound. Ironically,
the partial progenitor of the Deerhound (the Wolfhound) became the descendant
of it! It is said that a British officer by the name of Captain Graham set out
to revive the breed as well, and in the latter half of the 1800s he took descendants
of Bran and bred them with Borzoi and Great Dane to create the breed we have
today. In the 1870s the breed was displayed in shows, and in 1885 a club was
formed. In 1897 the breed was accepted by the American Kennel Club, and continues
to grow in popularity for those who have enough space to keep them!
First Registered by the AKC: 1897
AKC Group: Hound
Class: Hound
Registries: AKC, ANKC, CKC, FCI (Group 10),
KC (GB), UKC
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Irish Wolfhounds
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Irish Wolfhound